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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — a group
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wound — an injury
  8. court — of a king
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — government
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. court — of law
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rule — a law
  18. court — for sport
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. club — for golf
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. calf — a young 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