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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cell — a phone
  5. drill — army training
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cell — in biology
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rush — hurry
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pop — to visit

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