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 116 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: rash · spell · capital · fan · ruler · prune · drill · stand

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. spell — letters
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. capital — money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. drill — army training
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — magic
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. capital — a city
  23. rash — a series
  24. spell — a short time

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