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: plane · shower · firm · season · mug · rule · game · foot

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mug — a face
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mug — to rob
  9. firm — steady
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. shower — rain
  12. firm — decided
  13. foot — a measure
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. firm — a company
  16. rule — a law
  17. mug — a cup
  18. season — of the year
  19. shower — to wash
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. season — in sport
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rule — government

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