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: bank · rest · calf · hide · current · chest · clip · bound

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — tied together
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bound — obliged
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — a video
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rest — what's left
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — electric
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bound — certain
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rest — a break
  19. chest — a box
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. current — of water
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. clip — for paper

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