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: drill · pop · rush · scale · ruler · face · mouse · content

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. face — to confront
  4. scale — size or range
  5. content — the amount
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — soda
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pop — music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. drill — army training
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. content — happy

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