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: board · spell · track · cue · rule · season · fine · ruler

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. season — of the year
  3. track — a song
  4. season — in sport
  5. board — a committee
  6. cue — for pool
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fine — high quality
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — all right
  17. board — to get on
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — letters
  20. track — a path
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ruler — for measuring

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