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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. clip — a video
  10. can — a tin
  11. clip — to cut
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — for paper
  16. can — to be able to
  17. file — a document
  18. net — in sport
  19. file — a tool
  20. net — for catching
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a line of people
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — after costs

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