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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. net — for catching
  6. spell — letters
  7. court — of a king
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — for sport
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — magic
  13. rule — a law
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. court — of law
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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