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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lean — to bend
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — a price
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. clip — a video
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rule — a law
  15. charge — in control
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. clip — for paper

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