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: rush · mine · staff · saw · fine · face · calf · ruler

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. face — to confront
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fine — high quality
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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