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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rule — government
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. face — to point toward
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rule — a law
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wound — an injury
  24. face — to confront

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