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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. spring — of water
  4. rule — government
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rule — a law
  9. spring — a coil
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spring — the season
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. shower — rain
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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