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: wind · mug · sharp · snap · rock · ruler · band · pop

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — a stone
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. snap — to click
  9. band — a ring
  10. pop — music
  11. band — a music group
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pop — soda
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. mug — a face
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. mug — to rob

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