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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. land — ground
  5. game — wild animals
  6. charge — a price
  7. squash — the sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fall — to drop
  11. land — a country
  12. charge — in control
  13. squash — to crush
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fall — the season
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. game — a match
  20. land — to come down
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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