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: rule · charge · hide · wax · pit · stand · content · tear

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rule — a law
  8. content — the amount
  9. pit — in a race
  10. charge — in control
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. tear — to rip
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. content — videos and posts

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