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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. land — to come down
  11. lie — to recline
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. land — a country
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. bass — low music
  20. last — finally
  21. land — ground
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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