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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lean — thin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. season — in sport
  9. kid — child
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rash — a series
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rash — hasty
  17. season — of the year
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rule — a law
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rule — government
  24. lean — to rest against

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