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 120 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: ruler · degree · lie · bound · snap · charge · lash · spring

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. degree — temperature
  5. spring — a coil
  6. degree — from a university
  7. snap — to click
  8. charge — a price
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. charge — in control
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. charge — electricity
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. ruler — a monarch

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