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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — goods
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. row — a line
  8. cap — a hat
  9. band — a ring
  10. stock — shares
  11. bat — the animal
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. row — to paddle
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. band — a music group
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wake — before a funeral

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