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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — to eat
  6. spring — a coil
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — in control
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. charge — electricity
  14. spring — the season
  15. charge — a price
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to bend
  19. spring — of water
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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