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: bore · sharp · stand · kick · rule · rash · land · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rash — hasty
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rule — a law
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rule — government
  9. kick — in football
  10. sharp — clever
  11. swing — music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rash — a series
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. swing — in golf
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bore — to tire
  24. land — ground

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