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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rule — a law
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tube — the underground
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rule — government
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tube — a container
  23. rock — music
  24. rule — to rule out

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