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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rule — government
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rule — a law
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. game — a match
  19. roll — a list
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. game — wild animals
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — for measuring

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