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: rest · ruler · suit · rash · game · cell · calf · court

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — a series
  3. court — of a king
  4. cell — a phone
  5. game — a match
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. game — wild animals
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. court — of law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — in biology
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rest — what's left

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