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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ball — a dance
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rule — government
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ball — a great time
  20. march — music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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