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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. shower — rain
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — of a river
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — a law
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bank — for money
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. can — a tin
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rule — government
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — to handle
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. shower — to wash

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