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: ruler · straw · bat · cue · arm · plane · board · can

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. board — a committee
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bat — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — to get on
  14. cue — a hint
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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