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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wind — moving air
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. row — a line
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — for money
  20. bat — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. row — to paddle

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