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: bat · pound · bear · roll · tear · ruler

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. roll — a list
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with

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