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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — the tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rule — government
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. file — a tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — to crush
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a document
  24. squash — the vegetable

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