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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bank — for money
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cold — not warm
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mate — to breed
  8. game — a match
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — a partner
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mouse — the animal

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