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: ruler · straw · march · content · toast · pound · plane · charge

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. content — happy
  4. march — the month
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. toast — bread
  13. plane — a tool
  14. content — the amount
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. charge — in control
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. charge — a price
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. charge — electricity

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