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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rest — a break
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spring — the season
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. spring — of water
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. saw — the 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