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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rash — a series
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. club — for golf
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cold — not warm
  21. club — a group
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rash — hasty
  24. club — for dancing

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