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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. squash — to crush
  5. field — a subject
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — a law
  8. field — farmland
  9. rest — what's left
  10. field — for sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — a company
  16. mine — for digging
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. key — in music
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rule — government
  24. key — the most important part

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