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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. perch — the fish
  3. band — a music group
  4. rest — a break
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. band — a ring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rest — what's left
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rule — government
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. suit — to fit

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