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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rule — a law
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bank — for money
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — government
  22. snap — to click
  23. wind — moving air
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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