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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. land — ground
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. land — to come down
  5. firm — a company
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — a law
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — steady
  15. rule — government
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — final
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — decided
  24. stand — to bear

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