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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. clip — a video
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. clip — for paper
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rule — a law
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rule — government
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. present — there
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bay — a horse colour

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