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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — a line
  3. land — a country
  4. tear — from crying
  5. land — ground
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cue — a signal
  10. land — to come down
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stand — to bear
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lean — thin
  18. tear — from crying
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cue — a hint
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tear — to rip
  24. stand — for spectators

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