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: wind · straw · fan · stick · ruler · object · court · mark

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. court — of law
  3. object — to protest
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. object — a thing
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. object — an aim
  16. court — for sport
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. court — of a king
  24. mark — a trace

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