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 116 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.
Multiple-Meaning Words
Name: ____________________Date: __________
Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.
- Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
- Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
- Can you turn the ________________ on?
- They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
- One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
- I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
- The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
- Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
- ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
- You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
- Many English words ________________ from Latin.
- Recycle the empty soda ________________.
- When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
- Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
- ________________ you help me carry this box?
- The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
- Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
- I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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