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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — a price
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. hand — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mate — a partner
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mate — a friend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rule — a law
  20. track — a song
  21. mate — to breed
  22. charge — electricity
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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