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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wax — to grow
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. row — a quarrel

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