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: calf · spell · wound · pop · ruler · cue · drill · file

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cue — for pool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. file — a document
  10. cue — a signal
  11. drill — army training
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a tool
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spell — magic
  17. drill — the tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pop — soda
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a hint
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. spell — letters

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