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: bat · present · row · rule · rest · suit · cabinet · can

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. present — a gift
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — a law
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. present — the time now
  10. rule — government
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. row — a line
  14. bat — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. can — to be able to
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — a break
  22. present — there
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. row — a quarrel

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