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 116 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: wake · fan · bowl · rule · scale · press · bore · ground

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rule — a law
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ground — crushed
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rule — government
  12. scale — in music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ground — a position
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wake — a trail

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