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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rule — a law
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. dip — to sink

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