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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mug — a cup
  11. face — to confront
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — steady
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. firm — decided
  20. face — part of the head
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — a company
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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