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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. row — a line
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. clip — for paper
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stand — to bear
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — after costs
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. net — for catching
  21. row — to paddle
  22. net — in sport
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — to cut

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