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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mate — to breed
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. clip — to cut
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rule — government
  10. mate — a partner
  11. clip — for paper
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. suit — in cards
  16. clip — a video
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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