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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. hand — help
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. kick — in football
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — for money
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bat — the animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — a phone

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