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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. capital — money
  9. ball — a dance
  10. capital — a city
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rule — government
  16. bark — to shout
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. capital — a big letter

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