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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. content — the amount
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. clip — a video
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. club — for golf
  8. content — happy
  9. club — for dancing
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. foot — a measure
  13. clip — to cut
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. clip — for paper
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. rest — a break
  20. chest — a box
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. club — a group

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