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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. file — a line of people
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — to come down
  5. file — a document
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. land — a country
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. land — ground
  11. lean — thin
  12. file — a tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — an illness

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