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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. key — in music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — hasty
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rash — a series
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. net — after costs
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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