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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — finally
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. last — final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stock — goods
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — shares
  15. chest — of your body
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. last — to go on
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. patient — a sick person

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