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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. hand — help
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. shower — rain
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bear — the animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rule — government
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. hand — in cards
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — a law
  24. cabinet — ministers

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