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: rule · lash · ruler · rash · jam · pit · perch · ground

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rule — a law
  8. ground — the earth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. ground — a position
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rash — hasty

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