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: mine · trunk · squash · coach · fan · ruler · fine · hand

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fine — all right
  4. hand — in cards
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hand — help
  14. squash — to crush
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mine — for digging

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