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: press · bat · firm · patient · rule · game · saw · bay

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rule — government
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — decided
  8. rule — a law
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. patient — a sick person

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