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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. rule — government
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rule — a law
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mug — to rob
  8. last — final
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bear — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. last — to go on
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cap — a lid

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