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 124 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stem — to come from
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — hasty
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mark — a grade
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rash — a series

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