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 124 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rule — government
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bass — low music
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — a law
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. capital — a city
  22. fall — the season
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — the instrument

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