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: game · club · plane · can · stand · bay · drill · rule

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. game — a match
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rule — a law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rule — government
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — army training
  15. game — wild animals
  16. club — for golf
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. can — to be able to
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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