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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. field — farmland
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rule — a law
  14. field — for sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rule — government
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. field — a subject

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