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: row · hand · sharp · mouse · mark · lean · fall · ruler

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — the season
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — help
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. row — a line
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mark — a grade
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. sharp — clever

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