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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. staff — employees
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rule — a law
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — government
  13. staff — employees
  14. scale — in music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. face — to point toward
  19. staff — a stick
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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