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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rule — government
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. row — a line
  11. rule — a law
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lean — thin
  21. stem — to come from
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — to rest against

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