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: sharp · fall · roll · race · ruler · swing · bank · lie

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bank — for money
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — the season
  7. race — humankind
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. sharp — clever
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — a cake
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. fall — to drop
  21. swing — music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — an untruth

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