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: present · season · bank · kid · net · race · ruler · fan

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — there
  3. race — humankind
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — in sport
  7. kid — to tease
  8. net — after costs
  9. season — of the year
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — a contest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bank — for money
  15. race — the arms race
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bank — of a river
  18. kid — child
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. present — a gift

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