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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rest — what's left
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — in football
  13. stock — goods
  14. net — for catching
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stock — shares
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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