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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — the fish
  4. object — a thing
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. last — final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. vault — a safe
  13. last — finally
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. object — an aim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — to protest
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wind — moving air
  23. last — to go on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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