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 · wave · nail · chair · bass · face · coach · cell

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bass — low music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. bass — the fish
  19. cell — in biology
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cell — a phone
  23. face — to point toward
  24. ruler — a monarch

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