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: snap · ruler · bank · chest · clip · spell · bay · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — magic
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — letters
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chest — a box
  11. snap — to click
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. clip — a video
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. clip — for paper
  24. spell — a short time

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