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: pop · rule · bulb · firm · lie · drill · kick · kid

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — child
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rule — government
  12. pop — soda
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — to visit
  16. firm — a company
  17. kick — in football
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. drill — army training
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. firm — decided
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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