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: rush · capital · rule · bulb · face · foot · straw · ball

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bulb — for light
  3. capital — a city
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rush — hurry
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a great time
  10. foot — a measure
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. face — to confront
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rule — a law
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rule — government
  22. capital — money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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