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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. root — of a word
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mine — for digging
  13. root — the cause
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. root — of a plant

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