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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. spell — magic
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. hand — help
  13. squash — the sport
  14. row — a line
  15. cell — in biology
  16. hand — in cards
  17. spell — letters
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — to bear

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