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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. drill — the tool
  3. mine — for digging
  4. drill — a practice
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. drill — army training
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. board — to get on

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