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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. club — for dancing
  4. craft — boats
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. face — to point toward
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — a group
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — a skill
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pound — a weight
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bat — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. club — for golf
  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