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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — a law
  4. file — a line of people
  5. perch — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cell — in biology
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. row — a line
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. press — to push
  19. charge — a price
  20. file — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. file — a document
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — government

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