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: plane · court · wake · ruler · row · scale · rock · deal

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of a king
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wake — a trail
  8. row — to paddle
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. plane — a tool
  17. court — of law
  18. row — a line
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rock — a stone
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. court — for sport
  24. rock — music

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