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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. dip — to sink
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. current — electric
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. current — happening now
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rule — a law
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — to push
  19. court — of law
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. court — of a king
  22. rule — government
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. court — for sport

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