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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — a price
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mate — a friend
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rest — a break
  11. rule — government
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mate — a partner
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — a law
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — in control
  24. foot — a measure

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