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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — the tool
  4. board — to get on
  5. scale — in music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. drill — army training
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — size or range

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