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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cold — an illness
  3. club — a group
  4. cold — not warm
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — a price
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — government
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. club — for golf
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rest — a break
  18. rule — a law
  19. current — happening now
  20. charge — in control
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. current — of water
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. club — for dancing

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