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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rule — a law
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. last — to go on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — soda
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — to get on
  11. last — final
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cap — of ice
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cap — a lid
  20. last — finally
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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