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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. drill — a practice
  4. net — after costs
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — a hat
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mine — for digging
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. craft — boats
  13. firm — decided
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — in sport
  20. rest — a break
  21. drill — army training
  22. net — for catching
  23. firm — a company
  24. cap — of ice

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