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: snap · present · mine · ruler · bank · bowl · craft · chest

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. snap — to click
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chest — a box
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. chest — of your body
  15. present — there
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. craft — boats
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. present — the time now
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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