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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — government
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rule — a law
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. prune — to trim
  8. staff — employees
  9. clip — a video
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bore — to drill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rash — a series
  19. bore — to tire
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. clip — to cut

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