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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rule — a law
  9. staff — employees
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — a partner
  14. staff — a stick
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. firm — steady
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — decided
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rest — a break

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