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: lash · ruler · mate · scale · pit · stick · bank · can

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — size or range

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