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: scale · cell · leaves · rule · ruler · wake

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — a law
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — in music
  8. wake — a trail
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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