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 116 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: track · chip · craft · plane · sharp · bank · cold · ruler

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cold — an illness
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bank — for money
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cold — not warm
  13. track — a path
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — for betting
  19. craft — boats
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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