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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — for betting
  3. can — a tin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. drill — army training
  8. bank — for money
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bank — of a river
  17. drill — the tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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