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: lie · saw · fork · fan · squash · track · bulb · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — to recline
  16. track — a path
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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