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're on a ________________ here.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rule — government
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bark — to shout
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cell — a phone
  11. tube — a container
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — a law
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cell — in biology
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mark — to pay attention

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