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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cell — a phone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. scale — in music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rock — music
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. scale — size or range

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