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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. clip — for paper
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — army training
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. scale — size or range
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mark — a grade
  15. staff — employees
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. drill — a practice
  19. clip — to cut
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. drill — the tool
  22. clip — a video
  23. mark — a trace
  24. staff — employees

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