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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — certain
  6. board — to get on
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — steady
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — rain
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bound — obliged
  19. face — to confront
  20. shower — to wash
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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