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: hand · mate · ruler · court · current · plane · suit · season

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. court — for sport
  2. hand — in cards
  3. court — of law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. season — of the year
  8. current — electric
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — happening now
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. season — in sport
  17. mate — to breed
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. current — of water
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  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