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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — music
  6. press — to push
  7. rule — a law
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pop — to visit
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rule — government
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pop — soda
  19. press — newspapers
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mouse — the animal
  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