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: ruler · mine · stick · bowl · root · pitcher · patient · face

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. face — part of the head
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. root — the cause
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. face — to confront
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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