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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. drill — army training
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — employees
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. drill — a practice
  8. tube — a container
  9. wind — moving air
  10. staff — employees
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mate — to breed
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rock — music
  20. rule — government
  21. drill — the tool
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mine — an explosive
  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