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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rest — what's left
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rule — a law
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. club — for dancing
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. rule — government
  17. rest — a break
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. content — the amount
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. coach — a trainer

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