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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. present — the time now
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. foot — a measure
  6. present — a gift
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. present — there
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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