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 120 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: rule · press · pit · stick · wake · board · cold · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — boats
  13. rule — government
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. press — newspapers
  16. board — to get on
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rule — a law
  19. cold — not warm
  20. press — to push
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cold — an illness
  23. wake — a trail
  24. board — a flat piece

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