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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. land — to come down
  5. rule — a law
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. charge — in control
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. last — to go on
  11. charge — a price
  12. last — finally
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. last — final
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — a country

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