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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. kick — in football
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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