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 124 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: bound · bank · pitcher · chip · lean · spring · snap · rest

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bank — for money
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. bound — certain
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spring — a coil
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rest — a break
  20. lean — thin
  21. bank — for money
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — of water
  24. bound — obliged

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