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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — in sport
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rule — government
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rule — a law
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. hand — help
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. net — after costs
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — a permit
  22. net — for catching
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cabinet — ministers

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