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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — a law
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fall — the season
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rule — government
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — rain
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stand — to bear
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pitch — completely

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