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: net · pass · roll · rule · scale · lash · land · straw

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rule — government
  5. net — for catching
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. roll — a list
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. land — a country
  10. scale — in music
  11. land — to come down
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. roll — a cake
  16. net — after costs
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. scale — size or range
  22. net — in sport
  23. rule — a law
  24. land — ground

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