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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. press — newspapers
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fine — all right
  8. game — wild animals
  9. chest — a box
  10. rule — a law
  11. game — a match
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. drill — army training
  16. rule — government
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lean — thin
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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