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: rule · toast · mate · game · rush · cabinet · craft · press

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rule — a law
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. press — to push
  11. craft — boats
  12. game — a match
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mate — a partner
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — a skill
  18. press — newspapers
  19. toast — bread
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — to breed
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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