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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — a law
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. scale — in music
  11. race — humankind
  12. present — a gift
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. race — the arms race
  16. present — the time now
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. present — there
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — music
  23. race — a contest
  24. chip — for betting

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