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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — the time now
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. present — there
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. spell — a short time
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mug — a face
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spell — magic
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mug — to rob
  23. present — a gift
  24. spell — letters

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