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 · pound · clip · fine · charge · saw · band · kick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — in control
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. clip — for paper
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — a weight
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. clip — to cut
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. clip — a video
  19. band — a music group
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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