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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. suit — to fit
  7. race — humankind
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rule — a law
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rule — government
  12. tube — the underground
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. race — the arms race
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. race — a contest

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