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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. current — of water
  3. track — a song
  4. cell — in biology
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. current — happening now
  7. rule — government
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cell — a phone
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. prune — to trim
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. current — electric
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rule — to rule out

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