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: rush · court · ruler · ground · arm · club · bowl · bore

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ground — a position
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. court — for sport
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. club — for golf
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. club — a group

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