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: bear · bass · ruler · dip · staff · race · date · club

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — employees
  6. bear — the animal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — the animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. club — for golf
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. club — a group
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. race — a contest
  22. date — the fruit
  23. club — for dancing
  24. race — the arms race

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