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: lash · march · bulb · plane · pit · charge · rule · kid

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — a price
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. march — music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. march — the month
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. charge — in control
  22. kid — child
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. plane — a tool

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