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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — the fish
  4. game — a match
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — in control
  9. roll — a list
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. game — wild animals
  15. stand — to bear
  16. charge — a price
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — electricity

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