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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cold — not warm
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cold — an illness
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — a law
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bass — low music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rule — government
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fine — all right
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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