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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ground — crushed
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rule — government
  9. ground — the earth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — a law
  12. ground — a position
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — all right
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. game — a match
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. game — a kind of play

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