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: ground · deal · net · arm · ruler · pitcher · fine · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fine — all right
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. net — after costs
  16. ground — the earth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ground — a position
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — for catching
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — to handle

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