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: deal · season · mark · leaves · game · ruler · object · scale

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. game — a match
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. season — of the year
  10. deal — to handle
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. object — an aim
  14. mark — a grade
  15. object — a thing
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. game — wild animals
  19. mark — a trace
  20. scale — size or range
  21. object — to protest
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. season — in sport

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