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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — of the year
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fall — the season
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — in sport
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rule — to rule out

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