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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cold — an illness
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a list
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — music
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rule — a law
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. craft — boats
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mug — a face

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