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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. craft — a skill
  5. file — a tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. press — newspapers
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. file — a document
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rule — government
  18. press — to push
  19. rash — a series
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — boats

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