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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. drill — a practice
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. drill — army training
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. craft — boats
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wake — a trail
  23. drill — the tool
  24. craft — a skill

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