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: ruler · rash · mouse · bay · kick · chair

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rash — hasty
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — a series
  18. kick — a thrill

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