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: band · roll · cabinet · hide · bank · clip · root · present

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a word
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a ring
  8. present — the time now
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. clip — to cut
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. clip — a video
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. band — a music group
  23. clip — for paper
  24. band — a rubber band

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