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: wax · band · press · snap · hand · rush · ball · rule

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. band — a ring
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. press — newspapers
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — a law
  14. hand — help
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rule — government
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. hand — in cards
  24. press — to push

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