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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. kid — child
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rest — a break
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cap — a lid

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