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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. kick — in football
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — a container
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. root — the cause
  8. march — the month
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. current — electric
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. march — music
  20. rule — government
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wind — moving air
  24. root — of a word

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