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 · game · roll · last · can · band · stand · wake

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. last — to go on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — finally
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. band — a ring
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. roll — a cake
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. can — a tin
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. can — a tin
  21. game — a match
  22. roll — a list
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ruler — a monarch

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