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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. net — after costs
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. band — a ring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. band — a music group
  18. can — a tin
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. rash — a series
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitcher — a jug

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