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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to confront
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cap — a lid
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rash — hasty
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — to cut
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cap — a hat
  17. face — part of the head
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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