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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. race — humankind
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mine — for digging

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