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: rule · wax · mouse · stem · chest · object · coach · current

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. current — of water
  3. object — an aim
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. object — a thing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. chest — of your body
  10. object — to protest
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — happening now
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. current — electric
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chest — a box

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