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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. march — the month
  4. rule — government
  5. net — in sport
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — a law
  8. march — the month
  9. fork — in a road
  10. march — music
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — a path
  16. charge — electricity
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. can — to be able to
  20. charge — a price
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. charge — in control

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