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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. craft — boats
  3. pop — music
  4. club — a group
  5. date — the fruit
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — for golf
  11. press — newspapers
  12. row — to paddle
  13. press — a publisher
  14. club — for dancing
  15. land — ground
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pop — to visit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. press — to push
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. row — a line
  24. pop — soda

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