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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. firm — decided
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rest — a break

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