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: pound · march · drill · squash · ruler · key · rush · mine

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — in music
  4. march — the month
  5. pound — a weight
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. march — music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. drill — a practice
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mine — for digging
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — hurry

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