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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. field — farmland
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. key — the most important part
  19. toast — bread
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. game — wild animals
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — for sport

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