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: ruler · cabinet · bay · pitcher · deal · object · roll · kid

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. object — to protest
  6. kid — to tease
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. deal — to handle
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. roll — a list
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. kid — child
  22. roll — a cake
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ruler — a monarch

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