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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rule — a law
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stock — shares
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — government
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. degree — an amount
  17. press — to push
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rash — a series
  21. press — a publisher
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stock — goods
  24. rash — hasty

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