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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — government
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. board — to get on
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. lean — to bend
  12. kid — child
  13. rule — a law
  14. season — in sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. lean — thin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. season — of the year
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pass — a permit

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