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: safe · foot · row · mark · content · ruler · spring · scale

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. scale — in music
  6. spring — of water
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — a coil
  10. scale — size or range
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. content — the amount
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spring — the season
  22. content — happy
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — a quarrel

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