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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. craft — a skill
  3. game — wild animals
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hand — help
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — for money
  15. wound — an injury
  16. game — a match
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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