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 116 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: present · straw · ball · pass · ground · press · club · rule

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ground — crushed
  8. present — a gift
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — the time now
  11. press — to push
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. club — for golf
  14. press — a publisher
  15. club — a group
  16. present — there
  17. rule — government
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. ground — a position
  20. ball — a great time
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pass — a permit
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pass — to spend time

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