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: march · wax · stand · pitcher · hide · drill · ruler · ball

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — the month
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. march — the month
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. drill — the tool
  21. march — music
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — a monarch

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