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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — government
  4. fall — the season
  5. content — the amount
  6. present — there
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chip — to eat
  12. root — of a plant
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — of a word
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. present — a gift
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. content — happy
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — the cause
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. chip — for betting

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