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: cabinet · roll · stand · kick · deal · bulb · land · file

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a document
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — to handle
  6. file — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — a list
  9. kick — in football
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — to come down
  12. file — a line of people
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. land — a country
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — ground
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. roll — a cake

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