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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bank — for money
  6. last — final
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bank — of a river
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. last — to go on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rule — government
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — finally
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lean — thin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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