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: wound · ruler · bass · rash · lie · bear · object · drill

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. drill — army training
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — to recline
  6. object — an aim
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. drill — a practice
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. object — to protest
  24. wound — an injury

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