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: rush · pass · rest · degree · chip · firm · rash · rule

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. degree — an amount
  3. firm — decided
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. degree — temperature
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rash — a series
  15. rule — government
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rule — a law
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. rest — a break

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