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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. season — in sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. prune — to trim
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. season — of the year
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. object — to protest
  16. stock — goods
  17. object — an aim
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stock — shares
  21. rush — hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rush — a thrill

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