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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — a short time
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rule — government
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. track — a path
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spell — letters
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rule — a law
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fork — in a road
  20. track — a song
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. spell — magic
  24. fork — to eat with

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