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 120 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. shower — rain
  4. chest — a box
  5. rule — government
  6. stand — to bear
  7. face — part of the head
  8. chip — for betting
  9. face — to confront
  10. shower — to wash
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rule — a law
  14. craft — a skill
  15. club — a group
  16. face — to point toward
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. craft — boats
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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