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: bound · dip · ruler · band · rule · stick · drill · wound

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — government
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bound — certain
  13. band — a ring
  14. drill — army training
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rule — a law
  19. band — a music group
  20. bound — tied together
  21. drill — a practice
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. dip — to sink

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