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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tear — from crying
  6. race — humankind
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rule — government
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fall — the season
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fall — to drop
  16. race — a contest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a match
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rule — a law
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. race — the arms race
  24. vault — a safe

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