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 120 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. game — a match
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rule — a law
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — a signal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. track — a path
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — a song
  24. rule — government

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