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: cold · cabinet · rule · ruler · current · bulb · stem · hand

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — government
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. current — happening now
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — of water
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. rule — a law
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — help
  20. current — electric
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bulb — for light

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