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: rule · racket · clip · present · jam · mug · shower · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. present — the time now
  10. clip — for paper
  11. shower — to wash
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — there
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. clip — to cut
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. shower — rain
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — a gift
  22. rule — government
  23. mug — a face
  24. clip — a video

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