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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rule — a law
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. press — a publisher
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. row — to paddle
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. firm — a company
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. row — a line
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rule — government
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — decided
  19. rash — a series
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — steady
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — of the sea

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