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: club · bulb · race · game · plane · content · rule · cue

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. content — happy
  4. rule — government
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. race — humankind
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rule — a law
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — for dancing
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for golf
  18. cue — for pool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. club — a group
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. game — wild animals

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