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 120 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 · wind · board · ruler · drill · wave · mate · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. ground — crushed
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. drill — army training
  18. board — a committee
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. board — to get on
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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