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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. content — happy
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — the amount
  14. band — a ring
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mate — to breed
  24. plane — in geometry

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