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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · rule · ruler · fork · bay · key

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rule — a law
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — in music
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — government
  18. chair — a professorship

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