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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. board — to get on
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. board — a committee
  8. race — a contest
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — humankind

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