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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — army training
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rule — a law
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pound — a weight
  18. spell — a short time

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