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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. march — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rule — government
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fine — all right
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. march — the month
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. land — ground
  19. march — the month
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rule — a law

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