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: last · clip · stem · stick · rush · file · mouse · fall

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. clip — a video
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — to go on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. clip — to cut
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fall — the season
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. file — a document
  14. last — final
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a tool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. clip — for paper

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