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: season · wound · calf · spring · drill · cue · ruler · board

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. season — of the year
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spring — of water
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. season — in sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. wound — an injury
  24. drill — a practice

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