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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. firm — decided
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rule — government
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — to push
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. capital — a city
  11. bass — low music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. capital — money
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bass — the fish
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bass — the instrument

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