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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — of a river
  5. staff — employees
  6. court — of a king
  7. bound — obliged
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — a law
  10. bound — certain
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — government
  16. bank — for money
  17. court — for sport
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. game — wild animals
  22. court — of law
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bound — tied together

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