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 120 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 · bass · deal · rash · pitcher · content · fan · wound

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. content — happy
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wound — an injury
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — low music
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. content — the amount
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bass — the fish
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rash — a series

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