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 116 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: spell · rash · wind · band · pitcher · fork · ruler · net

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fork — in a road
  4. net — after costs
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wind — moving air
  19. net — in sport
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. wind — moving air
  24. net — for catching

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