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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ground — crushed
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ball — a great time
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rash — hasty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ground — a position
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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