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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wound — an injury
  19. board — a committee
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rule — a law
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — government

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