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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. charge — electricity
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — a law
  7. capital — a city
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — of ice
  18. perch — the fish
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — certain
  21. capital — money
  22. charge — in control
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — animal skin

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