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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · bank · spell · toast · stand · ruler

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stand — to bear
  7. spell — letters
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. spell — magic
  14. toast — bread
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bank — of a river
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bank — for money

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