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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — to play on
  6. ball — a dance
  7. craft — boats
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. swing — in golf
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. drill — army training
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. tear — from crying
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fall — the season

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