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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cold — an illness
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cold — not warm
  5. foot — a measure
  6. file — a document
  7. object — to protest
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. file — a line of people
  14. object — a thing
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — an aim
  20. rule — a law
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. file — a tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fall — to drop

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