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: mate · chip · field · leaves · snap · press · rule · lie

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rule — government
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a partner
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lie — to recline
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mate — to breed
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mate — a friend
  20. field — a subject
  21. press — to push
  22. rule — a law
  23. snap — to click
  24. field — farmland

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