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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · kick · bear · swing · cell · rule

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rule — a law
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rule — government
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. kick — in football

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