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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spell — letters
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. spell — magic
  12. rule — a law
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stock — shares
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fall — the season

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