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: chip · ruler · stand · mark · wake · wound · lie · march

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. march — the month
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. march — music
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. march — the month

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