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: land · band · firm · pitch · bank · rule · safe · lie

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. land — a country
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — government
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — decided
  13. land — ground
  14. firm — steady
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — to recline
  17. land — to come down
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. band — a ring
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — out of danger

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