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: fine · tube · season · branch · rule · fan · bulb · capital

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rule — a law
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. capital — money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. season — in sport
  14. capital — a city
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — a container
  20. season — of the year
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fine — all right

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