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

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. last — finally
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. last — to go on
  5. mate — a partner
  6. game — wild animals
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mate — to breed
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chair — a leader
  19. last — final
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. game — a match

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