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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. roll — a list
  4. band — a ring
  5. last — final
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. scale — size or range
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. march — the month
  14. last — finally
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. roll — a cake
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. last — to go on
  22. march — music
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a music group

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