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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. spell — magic
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — a tool
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. spell — letters
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bat — the animal

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