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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — magic
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spell — letters
  10. row — to paddle
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. land — to come down
  15. press — to push
  16. land — a country
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spell — a short time
  20. press — a publisher
  21. land — ground
  22. cap — of ice
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ruler — for measuring

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