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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. face — to point toward
  4. land — a country
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. last — finally
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. land — to come down
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fall — to drop
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. land — ground
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rule — government
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. face — to confront
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. toast — bread

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