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: cue · pound · bank · object · snap · calf · wind · mine

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — an aim
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wind — moving air
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mine — for digging
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cue — for pool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. snap — to click
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bank — for money

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