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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — of water
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — the animal

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