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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rock — music
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. land — ground
  13. rule — government
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rule — a law
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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