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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — a container
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — letters
  15. clip — a video
  16. spell — magic
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. spell — a short time
  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