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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. band — a music group
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ground — a position
  10. rule — a law
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ground — crushed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mark — a grade
  24. band — a ring

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