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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · safe · rule · shower · suit · wind

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. shower — rain
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — government
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rule — a law
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pit — in a race
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wind — moving air
  18. shower — to wash

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