ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · bank · saw · dip · court · key · deal · charge

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. court — for sport
  6. bank — of a river
  7. saw — the tool
  8. court — of a king
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. clip — for paper
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — for money
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — in control
  18. saw — the tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — a price
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com