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 · roll · coach · spring · fine · dip · rash · calf

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rash — hasty
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. roll — a list
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spring — of water
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rash — a series
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spring — the season
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spring — a coil
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fine — a penalty

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