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: calf · snap · chip · coach · mug · clip · bank · pound

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mug — to rob
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. snap — to click
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bank — for money
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — for dogs

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