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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lean — thin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. scale — in music
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mine — for digging

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