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 120 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — clever
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a friend
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. perch — the fish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. ruler — for measuring

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