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 116 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: bowl · chair · mug · rule · key · firm · rush · ball

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mug — a face
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. firm — decided
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ball — a great time
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mug — a cup
  19. key — in music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rule — government
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rule — to rule out

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