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 120 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: rule · deal · drill · wax · club · coach · chair · court

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. rule — a law
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. club — for golf
  12. chair — a leader
  13. drill — army training
  14. court — of law
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. drill — a practice
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wax — to grow
  21. drill — the tool
  22. club — a group
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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