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: bank · bass · clip · racket · deal · row · mug · charge

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. clip — for paper
  3. mug — a face
  4. deal — to handle
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bank — for money
  9. charge — a price
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mug — to rob
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. clip — to cut
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. row — a line
  20. mug — a cup
  21. clip — a video
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — in control
  24. row — a quarrel

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