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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wake — a trail
  5. race — humankind
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stand — to bear
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ground — a position
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spell — letters
  17. race — a contest
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spell — a short time
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. race — the arms race
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wake — before a funeral

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