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

Word bank: stand · rule · straw · prune · ruler · calf

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rule — a law
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stand — for spectators

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