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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. club — a group
  6. last — final
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mark — a trace
  9. game — a match
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. last — to go on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rule — government
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. last — finally
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rule — a law
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. game — wild animals

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