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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. field — for sport
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. field — farmland
  7. court — of law
  8. rule — government
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — to handle
  12. object — a thing
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. court — of a king
  17. field — a subject
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pass — a permit
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. deal — a big deal

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