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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. row — to paddle
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rule — government
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. row — a line
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rock — music
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rule — a law
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — tied together

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