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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mug — to rob
  3. charge — in control
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. press — to push
  8. shower — rain
  9. mug — a face
  10. charge — a price
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. charge — electricity
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rule — a law
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — tied together
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wound — an injury

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