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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rule — a law
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — a cup
  11. capital — a city
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — magic
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — newspapers
  22. capital — money
  23. press — to push
  24. rule — to rule out

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