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: chip · court · suit · straw · cell · mug · ruler · last

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — of law
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in biology
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — a face
  16. last — finally
  17. court — for sport
  18. last — final
  19. mug — to rob
  20. court — of a king
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cell — a phone

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