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

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. charge — in control
  5. roll — a list
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. band — a music group
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — a group
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — a tool
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. drill — army training
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. charge — a price

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