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 120 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — a container
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. staff — a stick
  5. field — a subject
  6. squash — to crush
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — the underground
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. suit — in cards
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cold — not warm
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — employees
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. staff — employees
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — an illness

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