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: sharp · chest · dip · last · game · stand · roll · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. last — finally
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. roll — a cake
  7. game — wild animals
  8. last — to go on
  9. chest — a box
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. last — final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — a match
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chest — of your body
  18. sharp — clever
  19. roll — a list
  20. chest — of your body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. game — a kind of play

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