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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cap — a lid
  11. spell — letters
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. spell — magic
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bat — the animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spell — a short time
  24. chair — a professorship

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