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 · file · capital · board · march · squash · hide · spell

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. board — a committee
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — money
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — the month
  13. spell — a short time
  14. march — music
  15. file — a line of people
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. file — a document
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. march — the month
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. board — to get on

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