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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — shares
  4. suit — clothes
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rule — government
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. scale — size or range
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. shower — to wash
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stock — goods
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. kick — in football
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rule — a law
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — in music
  24. suit — in cards

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