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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bank — for money
  6. capital — money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. branch — a division
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. net — after costs

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