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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cue — a signal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cue — a hint
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — clever
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. row — a line
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. date — the fruit
  24. wax — for sculpting

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