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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. court — of a king
  4. cap — a hat
  5. present — there
  6. plane — a tool
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rule — government
  11. court — of law
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cap — a lid
  14. shower — rain
  15. race — a contest
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. present — the time now
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. court — for sport
  20. present — a gift
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rule — a law

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