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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — in cards
  8. last — finally
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. land — ground
  12. last — to go on
  13. land — a country
  14. rule — a law
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bound — obliged
  17. track — a path
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. last — final
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. key — in music
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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