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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a dance
  9. branch — a division
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. can — a tin
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — for digging

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