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: march · rule · bulb · present · deal · pit

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. present — there
  3. bulb — for light
  4. march — the month
  5. present — the time now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — government
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rule — a law
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pit — in a race
  16. present — a gift
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — to rule out

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