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: pass · cap · rule · bowl · object · roll · court · chip

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. object — an aim
  3. cap — a lid
  4. court — of a king
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. object — to protest
  8. cap — of ice
  9. court — for sport
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rule — a law
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. roll — a list
  18. court — of law
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rule — government
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bowl — to roll

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