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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rush — hurry
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stem — of a plant

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