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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rule — government
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rule — a law
  14. club — for golf
  15. last — to go on
  16. club — for dancing
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chair — a leader
  24. club — a group

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