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: tube · track · hide · bound · arm · root · ruler · rash

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rash — a series
  4. root — the cause
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bound — obliged
  7. track — a path
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a song
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bound — certain
  15. root — of a word
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. root — of a plant
  22. track — to keep track
  23. tube — a container
  24. bound — tied together

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