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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — for sport
  6. club — for golf
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. club — a group
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. club — for dancing
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — thin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. field — farmland
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. plane — in geometry

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