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: cabinet · bulb · fine · mark · rule · straw · coach · face

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — for light
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. face — to point toward
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fine — all right
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fine — high quality
  21. face — part of the head
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. face — to confront

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