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: stick · pit · drill · spring · rash · ruler · land · mark

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — to come down
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. spring — the season
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pit — in a race
  13. drill — the tool
  14. land — a country
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. spring — of water
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rash — a series
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spring — a coil

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