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: foot · straw · rush · band · wound · ruler · perch · spell

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. perch — the fish
  4. band — a ring
  5. foot — a measure
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. spell — a short time
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a music group
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wound — an injury
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spell — magic
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wound — an injury

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