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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rock — a stone
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rule — a law
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rule — government
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — an agreement

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