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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — to bear
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. key — in music
  6. rule — a law
  7. drill — army training
  8. shower — rain
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. row — to paddle
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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