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: stick · roll · court · rule · bass · bay · temple · mate

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bass — the fish
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. roll — a cake
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — low music
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mate — to breed
  20. roll — a list
  21. court — of law
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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