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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. swing — to play on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. swing — in golf
  13. key — in music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — in football
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. file — a document
  20. swing — music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bat — the animal
  24. key — for a lock

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