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: straw · pit · pass · fine · rule · shower · can · trunk

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fine — all right
  10. rule — government
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rule — a law
  15. pass — a permit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. shower — rain
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — to spend time

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