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 · club · cell · date · hand · press · ruler · mine

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hand — help
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stem — to come from
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. cell — in biology
  18. date — the fruit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. club — a group
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cell — a phone
  24. ruler — for measuring

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