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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. object — a thing
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. current — electric
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. current — happening now
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. object — an aim
  14. current — of water
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ground — a position
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wind — moving air

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