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 120 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 · leaves · stem · temple · band · shower · straw · firm

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rule — a law
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — government
  5. stem — to come from
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. firm — steady
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — decided
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. firm — a company

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