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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. spell — magic
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. roll — a list
  20. ground — crushed
  21. spell — letters
  22. stock — shares
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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