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: ruler · fan · rule · last · bulb · stock · plane · leaves

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. last — finally
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. stock — goods
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — government
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — lets stay

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