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 · pop · band · club · toast · rule · mate · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pop — music
  4. rule — government
  5. present — there
  6. rule — a law
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. club — for golf
  9. pop — soda
  10. band — a ring
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mate — a friend
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. present — a gift
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. band — a music group
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. club — a group
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — to come from
  22. club — for dancing
  23. toast — bread
  24. pop — to visit

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