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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. charge — a price
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. firm — decided
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mine — for digging
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — of a river
  24. firm — steady

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