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: dip · bore · ruler · rule · date · foot · mouse · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. date — the fruit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rule — government
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rule — a law
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cap — a hat
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ruler — for measuring

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