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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. drill — the tool
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — in music
  5. cell — in biology
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — a practice
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. key — for a lock
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cell — a phone
  18. hand — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. key — the most important part
  22. drill — army training
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. hand — help

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