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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. band — a music group
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — in control
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rule — a law
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — an eyelash

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