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: cue · bank · snap · suit · wound · chest · bound · bass

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cue — a hint
  6. snap — to click
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chest — of your body
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bound — certain
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bass — low music

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