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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — a law
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bass — low music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — government
  8. charge — in control
  9. foot — a measure
  10. staff — employees
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — a price
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. clip — a video
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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