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

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cap — a hat
  3. spring — of water
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. root — the cause
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spring — the season
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. root — of a word
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spring — a coil
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bore — to tire
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hide — animal skin

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