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

Word bank: race · pit · bay · stick · bulb · rule

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rule — a law
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. race — a contest
  14. rule — government
  15. race — humankind
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pit — in a race

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