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: cue · ground · face · fan · game · rule · capital · scale

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. ground — a position
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. capital — money
  5. scale — in music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. cue — for pool
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. face — to confront
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rule — a law
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cue — a hint
  17. capital — a city
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ground — crushed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rule — government

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