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: rest · ruler · date · toast · land · lash · branch · face

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — ground
  3. toast — bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. date — the fruit
  7. land — to come down
  8. face — to confront
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rest — what's left
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. face — to point toward
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. face — part of the head
  23. land — a country
  24. rest — what's left

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