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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — a trace
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — a stick
  9. race — a contest
  10. mate — a partner
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — humankind
  15. court — of a king
  16. deal — to handle
  17. staff — employees
  18. court — of law
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — for sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mark — a grade
  24. track — to keep track

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