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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. row — a line
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bat — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — to paddle
  8. firm — a company
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. firm — decided
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rule — government
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. craft — boats
  16. firm — steady
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a handicraft

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