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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rule — government
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. bound — certain
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bound — tied together
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rule — a law
  23. hand — help
  24. track — a path

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