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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. row — to paddle
  5. current — electric
  6. court — of a king
  7. row — a line
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spell — a short time
  13. game — a match
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. game — a kind of play

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