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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — army training
  6. hand — help
  7. spell — magic
  8. drill — a practice
  9. spell — a short time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. ground — crushed
  13. can — a tin
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — letters
  17. ground — a position
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bank — for money

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