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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wake — a trail
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for golf
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. clip — a video
  10. club — a group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. charge — a price
  14. clip — for paper
  15. scale — in music
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. clip — to cut
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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