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: mine · rule · cabinet · scale · bank · fan · lie · rest

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rest — a break
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — for money
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. scale — in music
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rule — government
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rule — a law
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. scale — size or range

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