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 · season · mug · staff · wake · fine · net · march

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. net — in sport
  3. march — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — for catching
  6. season — of the year
  7. net — after costs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. season — in sport
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mug — a cup
  15. march — the month
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mug — a face
  19. staff — employees
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wake — a trail
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. march — the month

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