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: net · game · wave · perch · deal · rule · pass · spring

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. perch — the fish
  3. game — a match
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. game — wild animals
  7. spring — the season
  8. rule — government
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. net — after costs
  11. rule — a law
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. net — in sport
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. spring — of water
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. net — for catching
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to spend time

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