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

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pop — soda
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pop — music
  6. mug — a face
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mug — to rob
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rule — government
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rule — a law
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. board — to get on

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