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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rash — a series
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — hasty
  5. court — for sport
  6. firm — decided
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. court — of a king
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of law
  15. firm — a company
  16. tube — the underground
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tube — a container
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — steady
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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