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: file · foot · row · scale · spell · ruler · last · wake

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wake — a trail
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. spell — magic
  10. last — finally
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. last — final
  15. row — a line
  16. file — a document
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. spell — letters
  22. scale — in music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. row — to paddle

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