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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rule — government
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fine — all right
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pound — a weight
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rule — a law
  23. kid — child
  24. race — the arms race

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