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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. court — for sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. object — to protest
  6. field — for sport
  7. stock — goods
  8. field — a subject
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. object — an aim
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. court — of a king
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. object — a thing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — thin
  18. field — farmland
  19. stock — shares
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. court — of law
  22. branch — a division
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to bend

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