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 · perch · tear · track · club · board · pound · fall

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — to drop
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — a weight
  8. tear — from crying
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — to get on
  14. club — for dancing
  15. tear — to rip
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. club — for golf
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — a group
  21. perch — the fish
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fall — the season
  24. pound — for dogs

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