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: file · charge · snap · branch · hide · coach · sharp · bank

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. file — a tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a line of people
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bank — of a river
  10. charge — in control
  11. sharp — clever
  12. snap — to click
  13. charge — a price
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. branch — a division
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. file — a document
  24. sharp — exactly

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