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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spring — the season
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. spring — of water
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. foot — a measure
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. shower — rain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  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