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: saw · rush · face · last · fine · rule · roll · stem

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rule — government
  3. last — final
  4. roll — a list
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — to go on
  10. saw — the tool
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rule — a law
  17. fine — high quality
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fine — all right
  20. stem — to come from
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. roll — a cake
  24. last — finally

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