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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cap — a hat
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — of ice
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — the month
  11. club — a group
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — a country
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mug — a cup
  18. club — for dancing
  19. land — to come down
  20. mug — a face
  21. club — for golf
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. march — music

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