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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chair — a leader
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. current — electric
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. land — to come down
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. staff — a stick
  13. current — happening now
  14. rule — a law
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — a country
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. current — of water
  21. land — ground
  22. rule — government
  23. suit — clothes
  24. staff — employees

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