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: rule · lash · tube · cue · cap · drill · bay · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — a law
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cap — a lid
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — for pool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rule — government
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. drill — army training

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