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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — of a king
  4. bat — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — for sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. court — of law
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. net — in sport
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — after costs
  23. rush — hurry
  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