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: race · ruler · pound · court · bank · lie · snap · sharp

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. court — of law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — for sport
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. court — of a king
  17. pound — a weight
  18. race — the arms race
  19. lie — to recline
  20. snap — to click
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bank — of a river
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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