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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — government
  3. spring — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ground — the earth
  9. game — a match
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. game — wild animals
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ground — a position
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. ground — crushed
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. safe — out of danger

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