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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. file — a line of people
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — to get on
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a tool
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rule — a law
  13. spring — the season
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — a friend
  16. board — a committee
  17. mate — a partner
  18. file — a document
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — government
  22. mate — to breed
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stem — of a plant

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