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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. press — a publisher
  3. content — happy
  4. mate — a friend
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. content — the amount
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rule — a law
  10. mate — to breed
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mate — a partner
  15. season — in sport
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rule — government
  21. press — to push
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. season — to add flavour

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