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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rule — a law
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. firm — steady
  12. rule — government
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. firm — a company
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mate — a friend
  24. trunk — of a car

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