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: clip · pound · wind · present · club · bank · rule · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. club — for dancing
  5. present — there
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. present — the time now
  9. pound — a weight
  10. present — a gift
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — government
  13. wind — moving air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. clip — a video
  16. club — a group
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bank — for money
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rule — a law
  24. club — for golf

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