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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. squash — to crush
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. squash — the sport
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kid — to tease
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. object — a thing
  15. kid — child
  16. object — to protest
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. object — an aim
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. patient — a sick person

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