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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. craft — boats
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. current — of water
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of a king
  9. rest — what's left
  10. court — of law
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rule — a law
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — happening now
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. court — for sport
  19. current — electric
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. craft — a skill
  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