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: cap · last · wind · net · object · dip · charge · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. object — a thing
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — after costs
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. net — for catching
  13. object — an aim
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. last — finally
  17. object — to protest
  18. charge — a price
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a hat
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wind — moving air
  23. charge — in control
  24. wind — moving air

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