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: chest · rule · mine · rush · mouse · pass · pop · wake

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pop — soda
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rule — government
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rule — a law
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pop — music
  18. chest — a box
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pass — to succeed

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