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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  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. key — in music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. race — a contest
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rule — a law
  9. charge — electricity
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lean — to bend
  13. clip — a video
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — thin
  16. race — humankind
  17. cue — for pool
  18. scale — in music
  19. clip — for paper
  20. charge — in control
  21. race — the arms race
  22. charge — a price
  23. clip — to cut
  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