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: bass · lean · nail · stem · kid · foot · rule · charge

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rule — government
  3. kid — child
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — electricity
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. charge — a price
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. charge — in control

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