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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rule — government
  5. capital — money
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bulb — for light
  11. suit — to fit
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. net — for catching
  14. bass — low music
  15. net — after costs
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — clothes
  19. last — to go on
  20. capital — a city
  21. last — finally
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. last — final
  24. net — in sport

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