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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — to get on
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — decided
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a partner
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — steady
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a committee
  24. rest — what's left

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