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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. march — the month
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rest — a break
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rule — a law
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. march — music
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — in music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — for money
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rule — government
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rest — what's left
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — the month

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