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: clip · face · can · straw · fan · scale · ruler · roll

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — a cake
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — to be able to
  17. clip — to cut
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. scale — in music
  20. face — to confront
  21. clip — a video
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. clip — for paper

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