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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. land — ground
  5. row — a line
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. band — a ring
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — to come down
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. band — a music group
  20. land — a country
  21. bear — the animal
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bear — the animal
  24. row — to paddle

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