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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. file — a document
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. game — a match
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. press — to push
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bore — to drill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — newspapers
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. kid — to tease
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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