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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. present — a gift
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. scale — in music
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. land — to come down
  13. key — for a lock
  14. present — there
  15. key — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — the most important part
  22. dip — to sink
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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