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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. file — a tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. march — the month
  5. file — a line of people
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — a thing
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — music
  17. fall — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — to protest
  23. mark — a trace
  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