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: nail · rock · mug · content · can · ruler · land · prune

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. prune — to trim
  3. land — to come down
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mug — a face
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mug — a cup
  12. land — ground
  13. content — happy
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — a stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. land — a country
  24. mug — to rob

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