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: cabinet · rule · kid · present · bay · rash

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — government
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. present — the time now
  14. rule — a law
  15. rash — a series
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. present — there
  18. kid — child

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