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: foot · land · season · sharp · ground · branch · fall · ruler

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. land — ground
  3. fall — the season
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — a country
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fall — to drop
  8. season — of the year
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ground — a position
  16. land — to come down
  17. sharp — clever
  18. branch — a division
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fall — to drop
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. season — in sport

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