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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. march — the month
  3. fall — to drop
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. march — music
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. staff — employees
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. spell — a short time
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spell — magic
  15. march — the month
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spell — letters
  21. rule — a law
  22. snap — to click
  23. rule — government
  24. roll — a list

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