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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · stem · last · craft · lean · drill

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. last — to go on
  6. drill — a practice
  7. last — final
  8. rule — a law
  9. stem — to come from
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. drill — army training
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. craft — boats

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