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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — for money
  4. fine — all right
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — a law
  8. race — humankind
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — a break
  13. rule — government
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — a series
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. race — a contest
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fine — high quality

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