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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. land — ground
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. land — to come down
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. object — an aim
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wind — moving air
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. land — a country
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rule — a law

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