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 124 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. land — ground
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stem — to come from
  7. land — a country
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. shower — rain
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pit — a hole
  17. land — to come down
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. shower — to wash
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fork — a garden tool

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