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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stock — shares
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rule — government
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. tube — a container
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. staff — a stick
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stock — goods
  20. net — in sport
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rule — a law

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