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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. foot — a measure
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — low music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. scale — in music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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