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 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.

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fine — high quality
  4. file — a tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fine — all right
  10. file — a document
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rule — a law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break

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