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: leaves · mate · season · wake · bay · spell · rule · press

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mate — to breed
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. press — to push
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. press — newspapers
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wake — a trail
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. spell — a short time
  17. press — a publisher
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rule — a law
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rule — government
  24. leaves — of a tree

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