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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · race · craft · ruler · can · straw

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. craft — boats
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. race — a contest
  6. pitch — completely
  7. craft — a skill
  8. race — humankind
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. can — to be able to
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — the arms race

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