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 · clip · can · wave · scale · last · rush · lean

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bank — of a river
  12. clip — to cut
  13. last — final
  14. scale — in music
  15. clip — for paper
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lean — to bend
  19. last — finally
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. last — to go on
  23. can — a tin
  24. clip — a video

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