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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fine — high quality
  3. hand — help
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bass — the fish
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bass — low music
  21. rule — government
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rule — a law
  24. fine — all right

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