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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bound — tied together
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — certain
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. court — of a king
  24. ruler — a monarch

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