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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. current — electric
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — happening now
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. current — of water
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lean — thin
  24. bark — of a tree

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