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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bound — obliged
  6. ground — the earth
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — crushed
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bound — tied together
  16. ground — a position
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bound — certain
  19. clip — a video
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stand — to bear
  23. scale — in music
  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