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: rush · game · court · hide · bound · cue · rest · nail

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — certain
  6. court — of a king
  7. cue — a hint
  8. court — of law
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. court — for sport
  11. bound — tied together
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. game — a match
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — a break
  23. game — wild animals
  24. cue — for pool

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