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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cap — a lid
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. court — for sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — to fit
  8. press — to push
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. suit — in cards
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mate — a friend
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a hat
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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