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: snap · ruler · mug · court · rule · pop · rock · branch

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. court — for sport
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mug — a face
  9. court — of a king
  10. rule — government
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mug — a cup
  13. snap — to click
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — a law
  16. court — of law
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pop — music
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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