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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. mug — a cup
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cold — an illness
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — a gift
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cold — not warm
  10. kick — in football
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rule — government
  14. present — there
  15. rule — a law
  16. present — the time now
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. swing — music
  20. snap — to click
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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