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 120 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. clip — a video
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. row — a line
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bank — for money
  13. race — humankind
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. row — to paddle
  16. clip — to cut
  17. race — the arms race
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. race — a contest
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fine — all right

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