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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fall — the season
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. drill — army training
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pit — a hole
  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