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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. net — for catching
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. net — in sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — for money
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. last — final
  13. wind — moving air
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. shower — to wash
  16. net — after costs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to click
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. last — to go on
  24. wind — moving air

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