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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · tear · press · drill · lie · swing

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. swing — in golf
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. drill — a practice
  5. swing — to play on
  6. press — a publisher
  7. drill — army training
  8. rule — government
  9. tear — from crying
  10. press — newspapers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — from crying
  13. swing — music
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. press — to push
  18. drill — the tool

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