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 · leaves · game · stick · rule · tube · ball · toast

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. game — a match
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rule — a law
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. toast — bread
  22. tube — the underground
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. game — a kind of play

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