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 · stock · chest · key · cell · cabinet

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — in music
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — a phone
  10. chest — a box
  11. stock — shares
  12. chest — of your body
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stock — a soup base

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