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: fork · clip · lie · bank · rule · scale · content · foot

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — the amount
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. content — happy
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. fork — in a road
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rule — a law
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rule — government
  20. lie — to recline
  21. clip — a video
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. scale — in music

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