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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. game — a match
  13. court — of law
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — the fish
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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