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: hide · rush · clip · bank · mouse · club · root · safe

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. rush — hurry
  7. club — for dancing
  8. clip — to cut
  9. root — of a word
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. clip — for paper
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — of a river
  21. clip — a video
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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