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 124 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. foot — a measure
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pop — soda
  13. squash — the sport
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pop — music
  16. rule — government
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fall — the season
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pitch — completely

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