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 · cue · toast · bound · pop · rush · sharp · fall

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bound — tied together
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fall — the season
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bound — certain
  14. toast — bread
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pop — soda
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. cue — a hint

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