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: cabinet · chest · roll · chip · bank · wave · clip · pass

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. clip — a video
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. clip — to cut
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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