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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bound — obliged
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bound — certain
  8. charge — a price
  9. plane — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rule — government
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — in control
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bound — tied together

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