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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bore — to tire
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pop — to visit
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — the season
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pop — music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. staff — employees
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pop — soda
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rule — government
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hand — help

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