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: squash · dip · spell · mine · straw · coach · nail · ruler

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — letters
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. dip — to sink
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. squash — the sport
  13. spell — magic
  14. mine — for digging
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. spell — a short time
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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