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: perch · ruler · ground · foot · rule · mate · kid · stem

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ground — the earth
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ground — a position
  14. kid — child
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. kid — to tease
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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