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: fall · ball · content · bank · kick · band · squash · ruler

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — to crush
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a music group
  15. content — happy
  16. bank — for money
  17. fall — to drop
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. kick — in football
  20. band — a ring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — the amount
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. ruler — for measuring

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