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 120 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: mug · sharp · mine · rule · rush · stand · shower · stick

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rule — government
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. shower — rain
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — a law
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mug — a face
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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