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: ruler · firm · land · mine · branch · bay · court · rule

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mine — for digging
  4. land — to come down
  5. branch — a division
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. firm — steady
  8. court — for sport
  9. land — a country
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. land — ground
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of law
  15. firm — a company
  16. rule — a law
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. court — of a king
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. firm — decided
  24. rule — government

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