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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — a law
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. roll — a list
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rule — government
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. key — in music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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