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: lie · press · chip · rule · temple · ground · bark · jam

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — a law
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. press — to push
  18. bark — to shout
  19. press — a publisher
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. press — newspapers
  24. ground — crushed

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