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: bass · prune · wake · ruler · foot · pitch · cabinet · race

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — a contest
  3. bass — the fish
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bass — low music
  13. race — humankind
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wake — a trail
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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