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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stand — to bear
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rule — a law
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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