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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. roll — a list
  6. capital — money
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. roll — a cake
  10. face — to point toward
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rule — government
  13. face — to confront
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — a division
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. capital — a city
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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