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 120 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: perch · chair · temple · current · tear · wax · ruler · pitcher

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. tear — from crying
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tear — to rip
  17. perch — the fish
  18. current — electric
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chair — a leader
  24. current — of water

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