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: charge · stick · wake · stand · press · stem · rule · date

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. charge — electricity
  21. date — the fruit
  22. press — to push
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stand — for spectators

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