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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. net — after costs
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. row — a line
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. row — to paddle
  12. net — in sport
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rule — a law
  19. bass — low music
  20. net — for catching
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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