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: object · hand · rule · lean · stem · pass · sharp · charge

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. charge — in control
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. hand — help
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rule — government
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. object — to protest
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — a law
  19. pass — a permit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. object — an aim
  23. stem — to come from
  24. object — a thing

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