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 120 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: stick · drill · mine · ruler · ball · bass · land · object

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. land — ground
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — low music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ball — a great time
  11. drill — a practice
  12. object — a thing
  13. drill — the tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. mine — for digging
  16. object — to protest
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — army training
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. land — a country
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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