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: net · rest · row · ruler · coach · perch · sharp · tube

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. net — in sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. net — after costs
  13. perch — the fish
  14. tube — the underground
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. net — for catching
  24. tube — a container

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