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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. pop — soda
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. degree — temperature
  10. staff — employees
  11. degree — from a university
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rule — government
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pop — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fall — the season
  24. staff — employees

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