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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rash — a series
  9. net — after costs
  10. track — a path
  11. pop — soda
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. track — a song
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pop — music
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. net — for catching

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