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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. scale — in music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. land — ground
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. march — music
  11. land — to come down
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. land — a country
  15. march — the month
  16. toast — bread
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fork — in a road
  19. march — the month
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. scale — size or range
  23. toast — the most admired
  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