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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government

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