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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rule — a law
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. rest — a break
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rule — government
  13. drill — a practice
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. drill — army training
  16. stem — to come from
  17. drill — the tool
  18. roll — a list
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cell — a phone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cell — in a prison

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