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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. can — to be able to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — for light
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — a container
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. season — in sport
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to confront
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — the underground
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — of the year

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