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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — government
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. march — music
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — a path
  17. deal — to handle
  18. march — the month
  19. rule — a law
  20. track — a song
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — to keep track

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