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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rule — a law
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. land — a country
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. land — ground
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rule — government
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mark — a trace
  23. land — to come down
  24. pass — to spend time

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