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: roll · bound · tube · racket · court · suit · game · mug

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. suit — in cards
  3. tube — the underground
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — a cup
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mug — a face
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. roll — a list
  12. court — of a king
  13. game — a match
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mug — to rob
  16. court — for sport
  17. game — wild animals
  18. tube — a container
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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