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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. object — an aim
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pound — a weight
  11. band — a music group
  12. object — to protest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. foot — a measure
  16. band — a ring
  17. object — a thing
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ruler — a monarch

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