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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mark — a trace
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — to grow
  13. game — wild animals
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rule — government
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bound — certain
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bound — obliged
  21. row — a line
  22. game — a match
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rule — to rule out

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