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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rule — government
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rule — a law
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. content — happy
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. content — the amount
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fine — all right
  18. season — in sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. season — of the year
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bear — the animal

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