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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bark — to shout
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pit — a hole
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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