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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitch — completely
  17. shower — rain
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. toast — bread
  20. rule — government
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — a thrill

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