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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. saw — the tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spell — magic
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. spell — a short time
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. season — in sport
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — a law
  16. spell — letters
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rule — government
  20. saw — the tool
  21. press — to push
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. season — of the year

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