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: fan · ball · stand · game · bore · march · rule · court

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. march — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. court — for sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a great time
  9. court — of a king
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. game — a match
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rule — government
  17. court — of law
  18. march — the month
  19. rule — a law
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — to tire
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bore — to drill

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