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: clip · drill · cabinet · wind · stand · bank · can · coach

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. can — a tin
  3. clip — to cut
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — a video
  10. stand — to bear
  11. clip — for paper
  12. drill — army training
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. can — to be able to
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bank — of a river
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — a tin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. drill — the tool

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