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: file · bank · tear · chip · snap · season · rest · kick

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chip — for betting
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chip — to eat
  11. season — of the year
  12. kick — in football
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rest — what's left
  15. file — a document
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. rest — what's left
  19. snap — to click
  20. tear — to rip
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — in sport
  24. kick — a thrill

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