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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bore — to drill
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — to tire
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bank — for money
  13. cue — for pool
  14. court — of a king
  15. game — a match
  16. bank — of a river
  17. field — for sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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