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: chip · deal · straw · racket · rule · bulb · fall · press

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rule — a law
  7. press — to push
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. fall — to drop
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fall — the season
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — for light
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fall — to drop
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. deal — to handle
  23. press — newspapers
  24. deal — a big deal

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