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: root · bear · rush · prune · fall · rest · ruler · tube

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tube — a container
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rest — what's left
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rest — a break

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