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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bore — to tire
  4. club — a group
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pop — soda
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rule — a law
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rule — government
  14. fall — the season
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. club — for golf
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pop — to visit
  23. club — for dancing
  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