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: date · rest · ruler · toast · content · roll · key · field

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. toast — bread
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — a break
  5. date — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — the amount
  8. rest — what's left
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. field — for sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. field — farmland
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. key — the most important part
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. key — in music
  20. content — happy
  21. field — a subject
  22. key — for a lock
  23. roll — a list
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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