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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. object — a thing
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pit — a hole
  7. object — an aim
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. object — to protest
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. drill — army training
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — a law
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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