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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. track — a path
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. track — a song
  14. fork — in a road
  15. net — after costs
  16. charge — in control
  17. rule — a law
  18. charge — electricity

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