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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. drill — a practice
  5. court — of a king
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. court — for sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rule — a law
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chest — a box
  22. rule — government
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. court — of law

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