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

Word bank: cold · mark · drill · swing · bear · mouse · craft · ruler

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. swing — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cold — not warm
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cold — an illness
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. swing — to play on
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cold — the Cold War

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