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: lie · root · kid · bat · ruler · perch · rush · tear

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. tear — from crying
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. root — the cause
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — to rip
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. root — of a word
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — hurry
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bat — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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