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: face · calf · wound · fan · ruler · rule · date · season

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — in sport
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rule — a law
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. season — of the year
  14. date — the fruit
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — an injury
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. rule — government

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