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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. swing — music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. degree — an amount
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. degree — from a university
  12. band — a ring
  13. craft — boats
  14. chip — for betting
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. degree — temperature
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. craft — a skill
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — for measuring

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