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: saw · ruler · race · land · rash · present · net · straw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. net — in sport
  3. rash — a series
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. race — a contest
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. land — ground
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. net — for catching
  10. present — the time now
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. saw — the tool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. present — a gift
  18. net — after costs
  19. land — a country
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. land — to come down
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — humankind

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