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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — army training
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — government
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spell — a short time
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rule — a law
  24. chair — a professorship

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