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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. can — a tin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. perch — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. file — a tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. can — to be able to
  11. file — a document
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. land — ground
  14. rule — government
  15. rock — a stone
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. file — a line of people
  21. land — to come down
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — to rule out

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