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 120 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bound — obliged
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bound — certain
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. vault — a safe
  13. kid — child
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bound — tied together
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rule — a law
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. kid — to tease
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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