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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cap — of ice
  5. sharp — clever
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rule — a law
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. season — of the year
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. season — in sport

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