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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. rash — hasty
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. sharp — exactly

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