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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lean — thin
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cap — a hat
  17. date — the fruit
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — to spend time

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