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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. file — a document
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. game — wild animals
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. game — a match
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. file — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. scale — in music
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. scale — size or range
  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