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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. bank — for money
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fall — the season
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. hand — help
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. tear — to rip
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. march — the month
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fall — to drop
  21. march — music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cue — a signal

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