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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — the tool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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