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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. key — in music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mate — a friend
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rash — a series
  15. wake — a trail
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. suit — to fit

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