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: mouse · face · tube · stick · stand · rule · bay · stem

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rule — a law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — government
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. face — to confront
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stem — to come from
  24. tube — the underground

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