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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stem — to come from
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. scale — in music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rash — a series
  24. row — a quarrel

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