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: drill · rule · rush · stem · mouse · pass · firm · press

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rush — hurry
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. press — to push
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. drill — army training
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rule — government
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. firm — a company

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