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 116 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rule — a law
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. file — a document
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. capital — money
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rule — government
  13. fine — all right
  14. wound — an injury
  15. capital — a city
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mouse — 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