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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. net — after costs
  3. file — a line of people
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. net — for catching
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a document
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. net — in sport
  12. root — of a word
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mine — for digging
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. root — the cause
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. arm — part of the body

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