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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. row — a line
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mate — a partner
  6. charge — electricity
  7. net — in sport
  8. bark — to shout
  9. charge — a price
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — rain
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. net — after costs
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — for catching
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. charge — in control
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — a friend

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