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

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rule — government
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. court — of law
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rule — a law
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. key — in music
  14. court — for sport
  15. mine — for digging
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. court — of a king
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — clothes

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