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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. field — farmland
  5. firm — steady
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — a subject
  8. firm — decided
  9. chest — a box
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — a division
  12. ball — a dance
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. content — the amount
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ball — a great time
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. chest — of your body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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