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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. race — a contest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rule — government
  9. race — humankind
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. land — ground
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. land — a country
  14. row — a line
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rule — a law
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. row — to paddle
  24. land — to come down

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