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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — to go on
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rule — government
  9. last — finally
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. chair — a leader
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cue — a signal
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rule — a law
  20. drill — army training
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. last — final
  23. drill — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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