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 · land · hand · march · patient · mark · present · rest

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. march — the month
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. present — there
  7. march — the month
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — the time now
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mark — a grade
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hand — help
  15. rest — a break
  16. land — ground
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. present — a gift
  20. mark — a trace
  21. hand — in cards
  22. march — music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — for measuring

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