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 120 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: bear · club · deal · prune · rule · game · pitcher · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. suit — to fit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. game — a match
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — clothes
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. club — for dancing
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. prune — to trim
  17. game — wild animals
  18. club — a group
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — government
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — a law
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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