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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rule — a law
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — government
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fine — high quality
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. sharp — with an edge

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