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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rule — government
  10. stock — shares
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rule — a law
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. charge — a price
  24. bound — certain

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