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

Word bank: rule · firm · stem · bark · present · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. present — a gift
  4. firm — decided
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. present — the time now
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. firm — steady
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. present — there
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. firm — a company
  18. bark — to shout

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