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: ruler · cold · perch · bay · rest · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cold — an illness
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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