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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cue — a hint
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. clip — to cut
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — a video
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. clip — for paper
  15. cue — for pool
  16. swing — music
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cue — a signal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. root — the cause

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