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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — help
  7. land — a country
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. land — ground
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — to get on
  16. land — to come down
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. drill — army training
  21. hand — in cards
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — a practice
  24. hide — to keep secret

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