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 116 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: march · suit · rash · object · hide · mine · rush · rule

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. march — the month
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — music
  11. object — to protest
  12. rule — government
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — an aim
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rule — a law
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — a thing

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