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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — a tool
  17. race — the arms race
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. sharp — clever

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