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: craft · game · bound · kick · ground · patient · ruler · snap

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ground — a position
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. game — a match
  8. snap — to click
  9. ground — the earth
  10. craft — boats
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — wild animals
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — crushed
  17. kick — in football
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bound — certain

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