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: ruler · cue · row · bat · mine · suit · chip · fan

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. row — a line
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mine — belonging to me

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