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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pop — to visit
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — soda
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — in cards
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stem — to come from

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