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 · prune · land · mug · pit · bear · cap · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cap — a hat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — to come down
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — a hole

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