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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. can — a tin
  3. roll — a list
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rule — a law
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — government
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. prune — to trim
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cold — not warm
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. suit — clothes
  23. roll — a cake
  24. can — a tin

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