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 · track · rule · mate · can · kid · ruler · bulb

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. kid — to tease
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. track — a song
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rule — a law
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. can — a tin
  21. rule — government
  22. track — a path
  23. stem — to come from
  24. ruler — for measuring

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