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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cue — a signal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fine — all right
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cap — a lid
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. shower — rain
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cue — for pool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pit — a hole

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