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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rule — government
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — a law
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. last — to go on
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. foot — a measure
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — a committee
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. board — to get on
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. scale — in music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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