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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rule — government
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — a law
  7. mate — a partner
  8. firm — a company
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. date — the fruit
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wax — to grow
  13. firm — steady
  14. deal — to handle
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. press — to push
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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