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: pass · vault · ruler · rule · game · pitch · tear · press

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — government
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. tear — to rip
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. press — newspapers
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pitch — completely
  14. game — a match
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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