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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. plane — a tool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. land — to come down
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. tear — to rip
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. swing — music
  10. file — a document
  11. rule — government
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — in cards
  14. land — ground
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — a country
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rule — a law
  21. tear — from crying
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. file — a tool

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