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: object · rush · rule · game · saw · bowl · prune · ruler

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. saw — the tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. game — a match
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. object — an aim
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rush — hurry
  14. game — wild animals
  15. object — a thing
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. object — to protest
  24. bowl — a football final

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