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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cap — a hat
  5. press — newspapers
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. press — to push
  11. band — a music group
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rule — a law
  19. face — to confront
  20. cue — a signal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — a publisher
  24. kick — in football

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