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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rule — a law
  12. board — a committee
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. march — the month
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. hand — help
  23. rule — government
  24. march — music

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