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 · club · bat · plane · bank · date · toast · hide

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. club — a group
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bank — of a river
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. date — the fruit
  17. club — for golf
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. toast — bread
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. bat — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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