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: track · ground · ruler · charge · rush · fall · tube · lean

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fall — the season
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — a container
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — electricity
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lean — thin
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — to drop
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — hurry
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. track — a song
  23. ground — the earth
  24. tube — the underground

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