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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — a gift
  7. tube — the underground
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. press — to push
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. present — there
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rule — government
  15. press — a publisher
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. tube — a container
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. snap — to click
  21. craft — boats
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rule — to rule out

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