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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. rule — a law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chest — of your body
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — government
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hand — help
  20. chest — a box
  21. bound — obliged
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chest — of your body
  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