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 124 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. track — a song
  4. can — to be able to
  5. track — to keep track
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — boats
  12. cold — an illness
  13. craft — a skill
  14. squash — the sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — to crush
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. ruler — a monarch

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