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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. staff — employees
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — government
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kid — child
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. band — a music group
  17. rule — a law
  18. mug — a face
  19. band — a ring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. staff — employees

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