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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. field — farmland
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chest — of your body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chest — a box
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. field — a subject
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. field — for sport

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