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 120 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: pitcher · firm · dip · tube · fan · rule · cabinet · season

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rule — a law
  6. tube — a container
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — of the year
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. firm — a company
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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