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: face · rule · swing · tube · bulb · rest · field · press

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tube — the underground
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. field — farmland
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — a law
  11. rest — what's left
  12. press — a publisher
  13. face — part of the head
  14. field — a subject
  15. swing — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. press — to push
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rest — a break
  23. tube — a container
  24. field — for sport

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