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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cold — an illness
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rule — government
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rule — a law
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — to recline

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