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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — the time now
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ground — a position
  10. mark — a trace
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — crushed
  15. present — there
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cell — in biology
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — government
  23. present — a gift
  24. cell — a phone

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