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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. present — the time now
  4. rule — government
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ground — crushed
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — for pool
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — a law
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spring — the season
  24. cue — a signal

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