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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. net — for catching
  7. row — to paddle
  8. scale — in music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. net — after costs
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. net — in sport
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. row — a line
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fall — the season
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wound — an injury

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