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: kick · mine · ruler · fan · pitcher · ball · spring · dip

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ball — a great time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. spring — of water
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. spring — a coil
  13. kick — in football
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. spring — the season
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fan — to cool the air

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