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

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. file — a tool
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — the most important part
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. key — in music
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. spring — of water
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. key — for a lock
  17. file — a document
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. spring — the season
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spring — a coil
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wound — an injury

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