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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. root — of a word
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rash — a series
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rest — a break
  21. root — the cause
  22. pit — a hole
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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