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: bass · pitcher · mark · snap · ruler · straw · wound · trunk

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — a trace
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bass — low music
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. snap — to click
  24. pitcher — a jug

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