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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bound — certain
  3. wake — a trail
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — government
  8. spell — magic
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bound — tied together
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — to push
  15. rule — a law
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rash — a series
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bound — obliged

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