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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · lean · ground · kick · bank · ruler

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. court — for sport
  9. ground — crushed
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. court — of law
  16. lean — thin
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. court — of a king

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