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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cap — a lid
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bound — obliged
  8. race — humankind
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — to bear
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. staff — employees
  15. race — the arms race
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cap — a hat
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. race — a contest
  23. stand — for spectators
  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