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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — in control
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bound — tied together
  19. charge — electricity
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fall — to drop

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