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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ball — a dance
  11. press — newspapers
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. staff — a stick
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rule — a law
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rule — government
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a great time

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