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: bulb · rule · degree · cabinet · toast · plane · lie · craft

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. degree — an amount
  7. toast — bread
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lie — to recline
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. degree — temperature
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. degree — from a university
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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