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: ruler · pop · kick · wound · snap · net · press · straw

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — an injury
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. net — in sport
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. net — after costs
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pop — music
  15. kick — in football
  16. net — for catching
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. snap — to click
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pop — soda
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. pop — to visit
  24. press — a publisher

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