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 120 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 · content · tear · bear · dip · game · stick · board

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — happy
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tear — to rip
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bear — the animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. board — a committee
  22. content — the amount
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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