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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. march — music
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to click
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. march — the month
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — the fish
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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