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 124 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. file — a line of people
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. band — a music group
  8. rule — government
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. file — a tool
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. net — in sport
  14. spell — a short time
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — letters
  19. band — a ring
  20. file — a document
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — magic
  24. safe — a strongbox

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