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: rest · safe · root · ruler · field · cap · wake · drill

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rest — what's left
  4. field — farmland
  5. cap — of ice
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rest — a break
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — a subject
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — of a word
  18. cap — a lid
  19. field — for sport
  20. root — the cause
  21. drill — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wake — a trail
  24. drill — army training

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