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: stem · pop · rule · chip · vault · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pop — music
  3. rest — a break
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chip — to eat
  8. vault — a safe
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rule — government
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pop — soda

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