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: row · club · firm · leaves · can · rule · wound · staff

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. can — to be able to
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. row — a line
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. club — for dancing
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. row — to paddle
  16. wound — an injury
  17. can — a tin
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. staff — employees
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. firm — a company
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. club — for golf

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