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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. charge — electricity
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — a price
  6. squash — the sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rule — a law
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fork — in a road
  15. charge — in control
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. net — in sport
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rock — music
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rule — government

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