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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rule — a law
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rule — government
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. face — to confront
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wound — an injury
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rule — to rule out

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