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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ground — a position
  5. drill — a practice
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. spell — magic
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — a committee
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bat — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. drill — army training
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ground — crushed
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ground — the earth

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