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: ruler · calf · pitcher · hand · wound · fan · spring · cabinet

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. hand — help
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — of water
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spring — the season
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — part of the body
  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