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 120 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: rush · ruler · net · wake · chest · fine

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chest — a box
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — for catching
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — after costs
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. net — in sport
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fine — a penalty

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