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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lie — to recline
  6. present — a gift
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — a law
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. face — to confront
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. present — the time now
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — there
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mouse — the animal

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