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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rule — government
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. swing — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. hand — help
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. last — finally
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. last — final
  21. swing — in golf
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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