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 116 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: cabinet · pitcher · face · drill · bear · ruler · cap · band

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. drill — a practice
  5. face — to point toward
  6. band — a ring
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — army training
  18. face — to confront
  19. drill — the tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a music group

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