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: squash · present · bay · ruler · court · snap · straw · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — to crush
  3. saw — the tool
  4. court — of law
  5. present — a gift
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. court — of a king
  13. present — there
  14. court — for sport
  15. snap — to click
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. present — the time now
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. squash — the 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