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: drill · pit · spring · present · field · ruler · object · nail

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. field — a subject
  3. drill — the tool
  4. spring — the season
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. drill — a practice
  7. field — farmland
  8. spring — a coil
  9. drill — army training
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — a gift
  15. field — for sport
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spring — of water
  20. present — there
  21. pit — in a race
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. present — the time now

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