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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a grade
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bulb — for light
  9. shower — to wash
  10. field — farmland
  11. current — happening now
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. branch — a division
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. field — for sport
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. shower — rain
  23. field — a subject
  24. sharp — exactly

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