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: ground · hand · ball · tube · pit · fan · staff · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — the underground
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pit — a hole
  9. hand — help
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hand — in cards
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ground — a position
  22. tube — a container
  23. pit — in a race
  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