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: pound · pass · clip · pitcher · bank · jam · nail · kick

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. clip — to cut
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pound — a weight
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. clip — a video
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. clip — for paper
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. kick — in football
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — to hit hard

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