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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — in music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — goods
  13. net — in sport
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — for pool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rule — a law
  23. stock — shares
  24. foot — a measure

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