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: perch · saw · straw · band · charge · bank · snap · bowl

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. charge — electricity
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. band — a ring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — a price
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to click
  18. bank — for money
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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