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 116 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: file · ruler · lean · land · perch · dip · chip · swing

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a document
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chip — to eat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — thin
  11. land — ground
  12. chip — for betting
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — to come down
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. land — a country
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — music
  24. perch — for a bird

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