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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rest — a break
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — happening now
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — of water
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. chest — a box
  19. charge — electricity
  20. land — ground
  21. pound — a weight
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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