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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rule — government
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cap — of ice
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bulb — for light
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fine — all right
  16. bulb — for light
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pit — in a race
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tube — a container
  24. saw — the tool

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