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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stem — to come from
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wound — an injury
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — bread
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rule — a law
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bore — gave birth

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