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: bank · march · snap · hand · firm · chip · rule · coach

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chip — to eat
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — government
  9. march — the month
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. march — the month
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. firm — a company
  23. snap — to click
  24. chip — in a computer

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