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: rule · craft · ruler · shower · hide · charge · trunk · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rule — government
  3. shower — rain
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. club — for golf
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rule — a law
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. club — for dancing
  18. charge — a price
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. rule — to rule out

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