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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rule — government
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rule — a law
  5. saw — the tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. object — to protest
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. object — a thing
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stem — to come from

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