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: drill · bear · board · cell · land · spell · lash · pitcher

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. spell — magic
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — army training
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. drill — the tool
  8. land — to come down
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. drill — a practice
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. land — a country
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. land — ground
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spell — letters

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