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 120 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 · mate · content · coach · kick · wax · cap · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. content — the amount
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rash — a series
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mate — a partner
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cap — a lid
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. content — happy
  20. kick — in football
  21. mate — to breed
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mate — a friend
  24. coach — a trainer

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