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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rush — hurry
  7. shower — rain
  8. pop — soda
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pop — to visit
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — the time now
  17. pop — music
  18. present — a gift
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. present — there
  24. wax — for sculpting

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