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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — a tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. object — an aim
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. snap — to click
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rule — government
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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