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: ruler · content · wake · fine · roll · cap · root · shower

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fine — all right
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. shower — rain
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. content — the amount
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cap — of ice
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. root — of a word
  18. content — happy
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — a lid
  23. root — the cause
  24. shower — to wash

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