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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to click
  4. press — a publisher
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. season — of the year
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rule — government
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. press — newspapers
  19. season — in sport
  20. rule — a law
  21. press — to push
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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