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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rule — government
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. content — the amount
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cell — in biology
  19. rule — a law
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ground — the earth
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. leaves — of a tree

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