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: fork · lie · current · press · suit · chip · rule · fall

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fall — to drop
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fork — in a road
  6. press — to push
  7. fall — to drop
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. current — happening now
  17. rule — government
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fall — the season
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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