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: board · land · suit · squash · tube · bulb · pop · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. land — a country
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — to come down
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — a law
  13. pop — soda
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — ground
  16. board — to get on
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. suit — in cards
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pop — music
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pop — to visit

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