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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stem — to come from
  4. track — a path
  5. rule — a law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — a break
  8. mug — a face
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — a song
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — a division
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rest — what's left
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mug — to rob

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