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: ruler · foot · hand · wake · dip · band · saw · content

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. saw — the tool
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. dip — to sink
  10. band — a ring
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. band — a music group
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hand — help
  22. foot — a measure
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wake — before a funeral

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