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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. spring — the season
  4. charge — in control
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — a line
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. field — farmland
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. spring — a coil
  14. charge — a price
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. field — for sport
  18. cue — for pool
  19. field — a subject
  20. spring — of water
  21. cue — a hint
  22. charge — electricity
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fan — a supporter

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