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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cold — an illness
  5. face — part of the head
  6. net — in sport
  7. rule — government
  8. press — a publisher
  9. net — for catching
  10. firm — a company
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — decided
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cold — not warm
  16. face — to confront
  17. rule — a law
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. net — after costs
  20. cue — a hint
  21. firm — steady
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mate — a partner
  24. press — to push

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