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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wind — moving air
  3. race — a contest
  4. mate — to breed
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mug — a face
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. race — the arms race
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rule — a law
  13. mate — a partner
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rule — government
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. race — humankind
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mug — a cup

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