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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rule — a law
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. capital — a city
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bound — certain
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — money
  14. shower — to wash
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. shower — rain
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — government
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — tied together
  24. capital — a big letter

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