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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. object — a thing
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. game — a match
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rule — government
  15. object — to protest
  16. rule — a law
  17. shower — rain
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. object — an aim
  24. shower — to wash

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