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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lean — thin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. chip — for betting
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kid — child
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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