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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. drill — army training
  6. game — wild animals
  7. drill — a practice
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. staff — employees
  10. game — a match
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — to get on
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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