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: deal · chest · foot · tube · ruler · stand · bulb · rest

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chest — of your body
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rest — a break
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. tube — a container
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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