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: saw · object · rule · season · calf · hide · bulb · pass

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. object — a thing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — to protest
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — an aim
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. pass — a permit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — in sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — government
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pass — to succeed

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