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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fall — the season
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rule — government
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stock — shares
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. can — to be able to
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — goods
  22. fall — to drop
  23. dip — to sink
  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