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: file · bank · swing · march · ball · net · ruler · snap

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. net — after costs
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to click
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — for money
  11. march — the month
  12. file — a document
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. file — a tool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. net — in sport
  21. swing — music
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. file — a line of people
  24. swing — in golf

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