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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. rule — a law
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. club — for golf
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. club — for dancing
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. date — the fruit
  16. club — a group
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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