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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. kick — in football
  3. mate — a friend
  4. press — newspapers
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rule — government
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mate — a partner
  15. press — a publisher
  16. suit — to fit
  17. press — to push
  18. rash — a series
  19. chest — a box
  20. rule — a law
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — with a leg

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