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: wind · object · rule · lie · roll · press · straw · chip

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. chip — for betting
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rule — government
  5. object — a thing
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rule — a law
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chip — to eat
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lie — to recline
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. object — to protest

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