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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cue — a hint
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rule — government
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rule — a law
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a city
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kid — child
  23. chair — a leader
  24. suit — clothes

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