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: squash · vault · cold · stem · firm · fork · rush · rule

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — government
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cold — not warm
  9. rule — a law
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cold — an illness
  13. firm — decided
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. firm — a company
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. vault — a safe
  24. firm — steady

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