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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a grade
  7. band — a ring
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. field — farmland
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. field — for sport
  13. wound — an injury
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fall — the season
  16. field — a subject
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. band — a music group
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hand — help

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